Tray attachment for bedsteads



ma Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. P. FRY.

TRAY ATTACHMENT FOR BEDSTEADS.

No. 566,677. Patented Aug. 25, 1896. S

INVENTOR m ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES (No Model.)

B. F. FRY. TRAY ATTACHMENT FOR BBDSTEADS.

Patented Aug. 25, 1896.

ITNESSES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2v ATTORNEYS.

PATENT Fries.

ELLA F. FRY, OF RICHMOND DALE, OHIO.

TRAY ATTACHMENT FOR BEDSTEADS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,677, dated August25, 1896.

Application filed May 14, 1896. Serial No. 591,569. (No model.)

To is whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELLA F. FRY, of Rio inond Dale, in the county ofRoss and State of Ohio, have invented anew and Improved Tray Attachmentfor Bedsteads, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

V This invention relates to an attachment for bedsteads, adapted toprovide means for supporting articles for convenient use of invalidswhile confined to their beds.

The object of my invention is to provide a novel device of the indicatedcharacter which will be readily attachable to the inner face of a siderail of the bedstead, be foldable adjacent to the mattress when this isdesired, be convenient to adjust for service in the support of aremovable tray at one side and partly over the bed, and be adjustablefor height as occasion may require.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination ofparts, as is hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view in part of a bedstead, showing theimproved attachment in position on a side rail of the bedstead. Fig. 2is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the bed-rail and an enlargedside view of the improvement thereon, the section being substantially onthe line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front view of the improvement inposition to receive a tray, seen in direction of arrow 3 in Fig. 2. Fig.4 is a detached perspective view of the removable tray reduced in size.Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a bedstead in part, showing theimprovements thereon in folded adjustment. Fig. 6 is an enlarged frontview of a hollow post that is a feature of the invention. Fig. 7 is anedge view of the hollow post. Fig. 8 is an enlarged transverse sectionalview of details, taken substantially on the line 8 8 in Fig. 6. Fig. 9is an enlarged and partly sectional side view of a slidable standardwhich engages the hollow post shown in Ffgs. 7 and 8, also of abracket-plate hinged 03 a crossbar of said standard, and a hingedproppiece which supports the hracket-plate in a level position. Fig. 10is a side view of the same parts shown in Fig. 9, adjusted to disposethe bracket-plate nearly alined with the standard; and Fig. 11 is aperspective view of the main portions of the details shown in Fig. 10,but arranged to support the bracketplate thereof in a level position orat a right angle with the standard.

In carrying into effect the features of in vention a post is providedfor support of other parts, said post comprising a flat plate 10, thatis widened at the lower end to adapt it .for attachment on the side railA of the bedstead A, or a like structure.

On the post 10 a substantially cylindrical sheath 10 is formed orsecured, the bore of which is designed to receive and support thestandard 11, that loosely fits therein. The standard 11 is provided witha cross-bar 11 atits upper end, whereon a bracket-plate 12 is hinged byone end, as at a, and thus adapted to receive adjustment for disposingsaid plate at a right angle to the standard, or upwardly extended tosubstantially aline it therewith, these adjustments being respectivelyshown in Figs. 9 and 10.

It is designed to render the standard capable of sustaining thebracket-plate 12 at different heights on the post 10. To this end thesheath 10 is longitudinally slotted, said slot 1) extending nearly thelength of the sheath, and from the longitudinal slot at spaced intervalsshort lateral slots 12' are cut essentially in the form of thewell-known lantern-lock, so that a stud 6 which projects from thestandard 11 near its lower end, will be permitted to traverse thelongitudinal slot named and enter any one of the spaced lateral slotsh,which will serve to retain the standard I at a desired point andcorrespondingly elevate the bracket-plate. The wider lower portion 10 ofthe post 10 is preferably rounded at one corner 0 and flanged atitslower edge, said flange cl projecting at a right angle from the flatpost, at a suitable distance from the lower end of the sheath 10.

The preferred means for removably connecting the p0st-f0ot 10* with theinner side of a bed-rail A is best shown in Figs. 2 and 3, consisting ofa screw-stud e, that is axially bored and screw-threaded internally forthe reception of a thumb-screw c,which passes through a perforation ofthe foot 1O near its corner 0, and when properly adjusted serves to bindthe post on the end of the stud.

There is a squared portion provided on one end of the stud e, tofacilitate its insertion With a wrench into a socket formed in the railA at a proper point for its reception, whereby the post 10 is held onthe inner face of the bed -rail slightly removed therefrom, and adaptedto receive rocking adjustment in the direction of the curved arrow inFig. 1, so as to dispose said post horizontally, as shown in Fig. 5.

The described parts are secured so as to retain the post 10 in anupright position, by provision of a hook g, that is loosely secured onthe inner side of the bed-rail A at a correct distance from a staple orring-eye g", which projects from the foot 10 near the edge opposite fromthe rounded corner a; and it will be seen in Figs. 1 and 3 that when theend portion of the flange d on foot 10 is seated on one of the bed-slatsB the hook g may be entered in the ring-eye g mentioned and retain thepost in contact with the slat so as to hold said post upright.

A recess 77. is formed in the lower side of the bracket-plate 12 of asuitable width and length, extending from its hinged end, as best shownin Fig. 0, and in said recess the widened end of a prop-arm 13 isadapted to lie when the plate 12 and prop-arm are disposed as shown inFig. 10, the normally upper end of the latter being hinged, as at h, tothe bracket-plate at the transverse edge of the recess h that isfarthest from the hinge a.

The prop-arm 13 is proportioned in length to that of the standard 11, sothat the notched lower end of the prop-arm, if engaged with theoutwardly-projecting stud b on the standard, will be supported thereby,and the proparm be sustained in an outwardly inclined position,maintaining the bracket-plate 12 level or projecting at a right angle tothe standard, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 9.

The plate 12 is preferably constructed with inwardly-inclined sideflanges i, that afford a dovetail formation on the upper face of thesame when the parts are adjusted as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 11.

The tray 14, which is provided for a detachable engagement with thebracket-plate 12 when the improvements are to be put in service, may beof oval, circular, or rectangular contour. As shown, it is shaped aslast mentioned, having the corners slightly rounded. (See Figs. 1 and4.) Four short legs m are projected from the corners of the tray 14outward and downward, to afford support therefor when the tray isdetached from the bracket-plate 12, to which it is connected by theflanges 71., that project from the lower surface of the tray parallelwith its side edges, these flanges-being outwardly flared and so spacedapart as to permit them to loosely contact with the inner inclinedsurfaces of the flanges i of the bracket plate 12 when the tray is slidendwise thereon.

It will be seen that the post 10 when erected will dispose thebracket-plate 12 partly over the bed A, and may be so relativelypositioned as to hold the tray 14 conveniently accessible for theoccupant of the bed, who may sit therein close to the tray or heinclined, as may be preferred, and with ease partake of food placed onthe tray.

It is evident that a tray in the form of a flat tabletop may beprovidedand be substituted for the tray 14 when the latter is removedwith the table-service thereon after a meal, the substitute tray orsmall table-top affording means for the support of books, writingmaterials, or needlework, it being understood that the slidableconnection shown and described for the tray 14 is to be furnished forthe flat tabletop, theconstruction of which is so evident that it is notnecessary to show it in the drawlngs.

When not required for service, the tray 14 may be removed, and, ifpreferred, the entire device may be closely folded and then rocked so asto dispose it between the mattress (not shown) and the bed-rail A, thehook g having first been detached from the foot 10 of the post 10.

It is claimed for this improvement that it is neat, light, compact, andinexpensive to construct, and that its use aifords great comfort andconvenience to an invalid who may be confined to bed, as it enables oneto eat with comfort and also have other necessary articles within reachwhile the occupant of the bed is reclining in an easy posture therein.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. The combination with a post adapted for a pivotalattachment on the side rail of a bedstead, and vertically securablethereon. when so attached, of a standard adjustable on said post, ahinged bracket-plate on said standard, a tray securable on thebracketplate, and means to support saidplate in a level position,substantially as described.

2.. The combination with a post having a longitudinally-disposed sheaththereon, said sheath being longitudinally slotted, and said slot havinglateral spaced slots extending therefrom, of a standard slidable in thesheath, a stud on the standard, adapted to slide in the longitudinalslot thereof and to interlock with any lateral intersecting slot, abracket-plate hinged on a top cross-bar of the standard, a prop-arm forthe bracketplate, hinged thereon and adapted to rest on the stud of thestandard, and a tray connected with the bracket-plate, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a device of the described construction, thei combination with asupporting-post adapted" to receive upright support or horiflanges ofthe bracket-plate, and also provided with legs at its corners,substantially as described.

Witnesses N. (J. DURRANT, GEO. W. FRY.

ELLA F. FRY.

